Game #1: Blitz or 31
Object of the game: Players attempt to assemble a hand which totals 31 points in one suit; or to have a hand at the showdown whose points in one suit is higher than that of any other player
Players: 4-6
Dealing the Cards:
Each player is dealt three cards
Remaining cards are placed in the middle, with the top card flipped over and placed alongside it as the discard pile
Game Play:
Scoring: To accumulate points, cards must be in the same suit
Aces=11 points
Jacks, Queen, King = 10 points
All others are face value
3 of a kind = 30 points
If at any time during the game a player holds exactly 31 points, they may knock, flip over their cards and immediately win
Example Hand
6 of diamonds
10 of clubs
Jack of clubs
9 of clubs
Total Score: 29 points
Each player takes turns (rotating clockwise) taking one card from the discard or draw pile and discarding another (you always end your turn with three cards)
This continues until a player is satisfied the card values they hold will likely beat the other players hands
This player then knocks on the table to indicate that they believe they have the highest value hand and all other players get one more turn to exchange cards to improve their hands
In the showdown all cards are totaled and the player with the highest score wins
Game #2: Golf
Object of the Game: Reduce the value of your hand by swapping them for lesser value cards to obtain the lowest score in this game of strategy and memory.
Players: 2-6
Dealing the cards
Each player is dealt 4 cards face down from the deck arranged in a 2x2 square
Remaining cards are placed face down in the middle of the table, the top card turned up and placed alongside to start the discard pile beside it.
Each player may pick one card to “peak” at the value- then return it to the face down position
Game Play:
Scoring:
Ace = 1 point
King = 0 points
Queen & Jack = 10 points
All other cards face value
Player to the dealers left begins and players take turns drawing single cards from either the draw or discard piles.
Drawn card may either be swapped for one of the players face down cards or discarded
*make sure to remember where you placed swapped cards and what value they hold as your cards remain face down the entire game*
The round ends when a player “knocks” on the table, believing to have the lowest value hand
All remaining players then have one final turn to improve their hands
All players flip their cards and tally scores accordingly (see above scoring guide)
The player with the lowest totaled hand wins that round
Game #3: Speed
Object of the game: Get rid of your cards before your opponent in this quick paced game of “Speed”
Players: 2
Dealing the Cards:
Each player is dealt 20 cards face down as their hand
With the remaining cards, create two stacks of five cards (serves as replacement piles), placed face down on each side of the table with the final 2 cards face down in between the stacks of five (see figure below)
Draw five cards from your own pile to begin the game
Game Rules:
The round begins when the players each flip one of the face-down cards in the center at the same time.
Using cards from their hand, the players must simultaneously play their cards one rank above or one rank below on top of either of the two center cards. (Aces are considered both low & high) (Ex. If a 7 is in the center, you could play a 6 or an 8)
You may only place one card at a time
Whenever the players cards in their hand drops below five, they may draw another from their draw pile to a max of 5 cards
If both players run out of options for play, they simultaneously flip a new card from the replacement pile and continue *if you run out of replacement cards, reshuffle the center cards to create a new replacement pile*
A player wins by running out of cards in their draw pile before their opponent and yelling “speed”
Game #4: Crazy 8’s
Object of the Game: Players race to get rid of all the cards in their hand first
Players: 2+
Dealing the Cards:
Each player receives 5 cards
The remaining cards are placed in the middle of the table, with the top card flipped over and placed alongside it as the discard pile.
Each player must place 1 card face up on the discard pile that either matches the suit or the denomination of the top card on the discard pile
Example: If a 6 of hearts is on top, the player may choose either a 6 from a different suit (ie. 6 of clubs) or another heart (ie. Jack of hearts) If a 6 placed the next player must either play a 6 or a club
If a player is unable to play a card, they must draw a card from the top of the draw pile until a play is possible
All eights are wild, meaning that an 8 may be played anytime during your turn and the player can name a new suit
The next player must play either a card of the specified suit or an 8
The game ends when one player runs out of cards in their hand
Game #5: Spoons
Object of the Game: Players race in this fast paced game to retrieve a spoon after securing a four of a kind
Players: 3-13
Dealing the Cards:
Each player is dealt 4 cards
Place 1 fewer spoon than the number of players in a circle in the center of the table
Game Rules:
The dealer will have the remaining stack of cards not dealt out in their possession
The dealer takes a card off the top of the deck to have five cards in their hand, they will remove one and pass it facedown to the left
Each player picks up the card passed to them, decides if they want to keep or not then discards one card to the person on their left
The last player discards into a trash pile
If the dealer runs out of cards in the original stack- the dealer will take and recirculate the cards from the trash pile
When a player has a valid four of a kind in their hand they reach for a spoon
The player has a variety of ways to take the first spoon, sneakily (if players are paying too close of attention to their cards- they may miss out) or a demonstrative grab which leads to a wild free for all.
Once the first spoon is taken, it is a race for each player to secure a spoon (regardless of their own hand)
The player that doesn’t get a spoon is out!
